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Re: Summer Vacations

Did Northern Michigan fishing/drinking trip already. Beautiful up there. Basically, fish for the first couple of days, then everyone on the lake takes pontoon boats out into the middle of the lake and hooks up to each other. There is a keg on an 8x8 dock, and the only way to get to it is to walk across an 12' 4x8 plank. Epic.

Also did annual Sauble beach cottage trip, also very nice country. Always a riot. Great weather and was treated to an early morning Thunderstorm on the lake. Was very fun to sit and watch that.

Me and some friends thought of doing an all inclusive last year, after doing a weeks worth of hay baling in about 3 days. We ended up deciding against it, based on the logic: why pay money to go to a warm climate during our own warm weather?

We figured it would be much more rewarding/relaxing to go during the winter months, to break the cold weather up. Unless you are going somewhere like an Alaskan cruise, but that is big $$$.

Re: Summer Vacations

All inclusive in the summer is never a bad idea except for the pretty extreme heat. I've done this a few times as the money it costs to rent a cottage for a week and gas money, food booze entertainment etc adds up to WAY more than an all inclusive. Just sayin.

Re: Summer Vacations

Just came back from Disney...hadn't been since I was nine.. So this time with the kids. I was so impressed with how well they do things there. I reserved my major restaurant meals and had the meal plan, and ate very very well. We stayed in Disney so travelling to each park was a breeze. (I can't imagine going in and out every day. That place is huge)

Not necessarily for the non family. But I could see it not being too bad if you stayed in a nice place (we stayed in the animal kingdom lodge... top notch).

Plus the weather said rain and thunder every day, and all we got was the last day it came down HARD for a few hours) Great trip all around.

Re: Summer Vacations

Unfortunately I'm so incredibly busy (and broke) during the school year that this is about the only time that makes sense. But yeah, I get your logic.

All inclusive in the summer is never a bad idea except for the pretty extreme heat. I've done this a few times as the money it costs to rent a cottage for a week and gas money, food booze entertainment etc adds up to WAY more than an all inclusive. Just sayin.

I have a friend who works for Sunwing too so it's looking like we'll get 20% off.

Re: Summer Vacations

If your doing all inclusive summer go early in July. We went to the mayan riviera (best beaches I have been to... water was a blue I've never seen) but went in August and got caught in a pretty wicked storm.

Re: Summer Vacations

Just did 2+ weeks in Jasper/Banff with the family...even though the weather was crap (sunny for 3 days out of 16), the hiking was great, the sites beautiful and Alberta steak done medium rare is a gift from the heavens. My 4-year old was really into the hiking, topping 3 km's with no breaks by the end.

Re: Summer Vacations

Came back a month ago from Punta Cana with the girlfriend. Gran Bahia Principe Ambar. We went here last year as well and we loved it so much we went back to the same place this year. Awesome resort, 5+ stars, amazingly clean resort (especially the rooms) and the food is exceptional. The beaches are private and taken care of very well and the staff are very cool and fun to be around. Its pretty cheap this time of the year (we booked for around $1100) but if you go to the same place in high season, you're looking at almost $2000 per person.

Re: Summer Vacations

There is a guy on my staff that goes to that resort all the time.. I mean 5 times in the last two years. In fact this time on the way back, dominican immigration went through his stuff like crazy, thinking he was exporting or something. I will have to check it out. I have heard nothing but good things.

Re: Summer Vacations

A good cheap resort that I've been to Iberostar Laguna Azul in Varadero. It opened in Sept of 2009 so it's still new and has nice clean grounds, great pools, an amazing beach, awesome staff... I'm pretty sure everybody that works there speaks four languages and some speak five.

Here's the tripadvisor review for it, not as fancy as some of the other places mentioned but I had a blast there.

The restaurants are really great but I think it was only three that you get to go to if you're going for a week(or every night if you just sweet talk someone at the door), otherwise go with an open mind food wise and don't drink out of juice fountains and you'll have a fantastic time. Incredibly well stocked bars too for a resort at that price and the most talented bartenders I've ever seen.

Re: Summer Vacations

Went to Lisbon a couple of weeks back. Really like the city, and the weather was great.

Got a trip to Canada and Chicago booked for early October, which I'm pretty excited about. Know the weather wont be great by then, but its the only time me and my mates could get long enough off work to make it worthwhile.

Re: Summer Vacations

did a road trip to Florida with a stop in DC with the girlfriend back in May. In total, we were gone 12 days. Did the drive down in one day, leaving Toronto at about 10pm on Wednesday got to Daytona on Thursday evening around 7. Stayed there two nights as we went down to Titusville on the Friday to see the shuttle launch (unfortunately it was scrubbed about 2 hours before it took off). The next day we went to the Kennedy Space Centre then we drove to Orlando where we did Disney on the Sunday. Monday was a shopping day then we did 3 days at Universal. My girlfriend is a massive Harry Potter fan so we did the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Literally, she bought a robe, wand and bunch of other stuff and ran around the Harry Potter area in full get up.
With the exception of the Wizarding World, Universal Studios is kinda lame. Disney was much, much better. When we do the trip again (which i'm sure we will in a couple years) we'll probably do the reverse, 3 days at Disney one at Universal.

Then on the way back to Toronto we stopped in Washington DC for 3 nights. Then we got back to Toronto on Monday around midnight.

It was a busy ****ing trip, expensive too. Next trip i'm doing is definitely going to involve laying on a beach getting drunk.

Re: Summer Vacations

Originally Posted by sensbk

A good cheap resort that I've been to Iberostar Laguna Azul in Varadero. It opened in Sept of 2009 so it's still new and has nice clean grounds, great pools, an amazing beach, awesome staff... I'm pretty sure everybody that works there speaks four languages and some speak five.

Here's the tripadvisor review for it, not as fancy as some of the other places mentioned but I had a blast there.

The restaurants are really great but I think it was only three that you get to go to if you're going for a week(or every night if you just sweet talk someone at the door), otherwise go with an open mind food wise and don't drink out of juice fountains and you'll have a fantastic time. Incredibly well stocked bars too for a resort at that price and the most talented bartenders I've ever seen.

been there also, but I think Blau Varadero has better beach. hotel is way better

Re: Summer Vacations

Depends on what you want out of your trip. I stayed in Cuba at Breezes Jibacoa. Small resort 200 rooms and no high rise buildings. Only one pool, beach isn't the white soft stuff of Varadero but it's 18+ and has a nice disco and good food and awesome staff. Mind you, it's been over 10 years since I visited. I would do it again in a heartbeat though. It was like 650 per for the week. PLUS early summer the hurricane season hasn't started so less chance of a ruined vacation. Used to be free scuba diving (not just in pool lesson) and all night long all inclusive bar...not like some that end at 1:30ish.

Re: Summer Vacations

been there also, but I think Blau Varadero has better beach. hotel is way better

Yeah we shared a bus to the airport with people that went there, they all had nothing but great things to say. I'd like to try it myself, especially having just looked at the pics and reviews on trip advisor.

Prices are actually better than Laguna Azul to book through sunwing right now too.... Very tempting....

Re: Summer Vacations

It really depends on what you want out of the trip. I went with the girlfriend a few years back to Varadero and stayed at the Barcelo Solymar. If you're into the younger crowd this place might be for you. Keep in mind i was sh*tting green for a week as the food is disgusting in cuba. Out of all the places ive been, by far the nicest beaches and water.

Cancun is party central, but it sounds like you're going with the wifey, so i would refrain from going there.